Free Will, Do You Have It?

by Albertus Kral
Tellwell Talent

book review by Mark Heisey

“Procirclism has departed from the free will issue and proclaims there is neither free will nor no free will. There is just will and that is the force necessary to manifest behavior.”

The free will debate has raged for over 2,000 years. Do individuals have control over their own actions and decisions, or are these actions and decisions predetermined by the gods, logic, nature or nurture, or many other forms of determinism? In this new work by Kral, he takes the reader on an intellectual journey that attempts to provide an alternative to the free will question. Upon initial inspection, the question, at its heart, seems to imply either a yes or no with explanations while excluding other answers. However, Kral manages to create a compelling third option, which posits that the question itself is flawed. He argues that “will” cannot be considered free or not free. His reasoning breaks down what the word means in the context of this question, and his results lead him to create an additional theory about the source of human behavior. which he has titled procirclism.

Many of the earliest philosophers, including Socrates and Plato, who began to tackle this debate leaned toward humans having free will as it gave humans control and made arguments about morals and responsibilities easy to understand and reconcile. Later, the Stoics leaned into a kind of determinism in which the natural laws controlled nearly everything. Since that time, nearly every philosopher and thinker has weighed in on the argument, on one side or the other. Emmanual Kant attempted a sort of hybrid or dualistic answer with determinism present while still leaving room for human freedom. In 2005, Robert Kane wrote an extensive overview of the topic in A Contemporary Introduction to Free Will. It is a debate that has kept going on for thousands of years. Considering its lengthy history, Kral’s attempt at questioning the question itself and providing what he deems as a revolutionary approach is admirable.

Kral’s writing is easy to follow, and he makes a topic that can be mentally taxing accessible to nearly all readers. This is quite an achievement. Kral gives the reader multiple examples from daily life to help explain his ideas as well as using simple math when applicable. The book’s format is also an interesting component of the overall experience. Through the first few chapters, readers may feel that Kral’s ideas are easily countered or that they are partially confusing. However, the reader who sticks with the book will find that this is part of the process and a conscious decision by Kral. He purposely uses his theory of procirclism through the writing process. The reading causes questions that spark more thought, and then he gives the reader more information, thus promoting more thought and so on. The easy counters begin to lose their weight, and the parts that may be confusing are fleshed out as Kral digs deeper into his thinking on the subject. Whether or not the reader is convinced of Kral’s argument, believes it is just another form of determinism, or comes to a wholly different conclusion is secondary. The experience of revisiting what seems like a tired debate with a fresh lens is worth the time, and Kral’s book is easy to recommend to anyone with a passing interest in philosophy.

RECOMMENDED by the US Review

Plan to Profit: Business Planning for Builders and Remodelers

by Chuck Miller
Leavitt Peak Press

book review by Barbara Bamberger Scott

“The task of writing a business plan today is much less daunting than it used to be.”

Writer Miller focuses on small businesses, specifically those that deal in remodeling and building trades, to demonstrate the need and the method for creating a comprehensive corporate plan. Any small business may struggle to survive. However, with a structured, all-encompassing proposition and the step-by-step processes that accompany its development, chances for success will greatly expand.

Miller’s thorough and thoughtful manual surveys and explores in detail every aspect of the planning process. Drawing from the National Association of Home Builders, he cites the “Six Ps” needed for companies to succeed: Purpose, Planning, Process, People, Performance, and Progress. Plans should include information about the company’s executive structure, its overarching vision, general marketing goals, and methodologies of operation, among other vital components. Miller offers orderly, pragmatic steps for businesses to take in examining and stating their organization’s relevant capabilities, performance, and promises, utilizing such broad data as maintaining contact with the potential and previous customer base through written reminders from salespersons and the company’s president, including periodic newsletters. Miller believes that these efforts will amplify and sustain a thriving business.

Miller is an exemplar of the materials he offers to businesses as owner of several consulting and educational groups and construction enterprises, all of which bear his name. He shares his knowledge here in a highly organized format with four appendices that include a complex “Standard Business Plan Template.” In his wide-ranging compendium, he urges businesses to set and describe their short- and long-term goals and their visions for such significant details as scheduling and budgeting, along with a short but vital description of the company’s history, location, and membership in professional organizations. Miller makes a convincing case for small business planning that should be studiously considered both by groups centered on building trades and any small industry seeking further expansion and recognition.

Prayerful Warrior Mom: Embracing Faith Through the Storms of Your Child’s Congenital Heart Journey

by Tracy A. Ripley

book review by Mihir Shah

“You are their advocate, and never, ever, be afraid to speak up for your child or yourself.”

Using her faith as fuel, the author lays bare her soul in this raw and incredibly vulnerable chronicle of hope and fear. Rooted in scripture, the work and the themes presented within it are universal, depicting the human struggle to balance all aspects of their lives without losing themselves. For Ripley, a blessing in the form of baby Bryce is rife with obstacles, such as her child’s congenital heart disease (CHD), spearheaded by a faulty heart valve. The author’s unyielding tenacity, come what may, to ensure that Bryce is able to lead a quality life is something to truly marvel at.

Ripley’s blended family consists of her husband, Rob, two step-kids she adores, and her biological daughter, Reyna. The seamless environment allows the author to maintain a work-life balance and challenge herself at the apex of both motherhood and career. However, when Bryce is diagnosed with severe aortic stenosis a mere fourteen hours after birth and must be taken away for an emergency procedure, the reality of how grueling the process will be dawns on her. From her own testimony and resilience, audiences will discover their own inner spirit and mettle, a roadmap of sorts when battling similar adverse circumstances.

Though the main focus of Ripley’s work is to share Bryce’s journey to health, it also provides great detail and context into her overall life, pulling back the curtain, so to speak, for audiences to get a comprehensive snapshot. For instance, Ripley takes readers back to her own upbringing and how her parents were to add an extra layer of understanding of how she came to be who she is. In these segments of the piece, readers can easily relate to the hurdles women face in their careers, often feeling conflicted about the perception of their dedication and commitment to the company once they are mothers. For Ripley, commitment is central to her character, as even in the moments leading up to going into labor, she is training her backup to deliver a presentation for her job.

While the problems of the material world are undoubtedly well captured, it is the authenticity with which Ripley communicates her relationship with God that readers will find endearing. Rather than preach through scriptures, she shows how those scriptures have come to life for her, giving her a platform through which she can process and even see the silver lining in traumatic events, such as seeing her baby in the NICU just after birth, feeling disconnected from her child, or watching her now toddler continue to endure one heart surgery after another. Nonetheless, through it all, her trust in God remains unconditional, never wavering, and always enabling her to stay steadfast in prayer.

From a stylistic perspective, the story flows smoothly, creating an enjoyable reader experience while still delving into critical themes like work-life balance, ensuring the right medical fit when entrusting practitioners with your life or the life of a loved one, and the role of mothers in the workforce as compared to fathers. Above all else, audiences get to see how prayer directly impacts and enhances one’s quality of life and provides the tools for individuals to find love in all areas, such as in the Lord, in themselves, and in all those that make up their inner circle. To this end, Ripley’s work combines the resources of prayer—with her “7 Day Prayer Guide”—and CHD resources so families going through the same thing can have the tools to tackle life’s challenges head-on and become prayerful warriors themselves.

RECOMMENDED by the US Review

Watch Out for the Elephants!

by C. Angela Todd and C. Ann Todd
Dorrance Publishing Company

book review by Barbara Bamberger Scott

“Dear reader, I am sure you realize our way of life was a most enriching experience, but it wasn’t easy to say goodbye to a country and friends.”

The Todd sisters offer a shared autobiographical look at their unique childhood, spent mostly outside America as daughters of the eleventh black man to be inducted into the United States Foreign Service in 1945. James and his wife, Norma, enthusiastically accepted this remarkable opportunity, embarking for Egypt where Angela would be born. Later, they would be stationed in Israel, Ann’s birthplace. An early lesson in racial inequality occurred when Angela and her parents visited America on home leave. Her father warned her to speak only in Arabic when they went to a restaurant in the South. She recalls that instead of being ostracized by the locals for their skin color, they were welcomed heartily as “foreigners.”

In adapting to the many countries where their father worked, the two girls gained fluency in several languages, immersing themselves in cultures that ranged from the urban atmospheres of Germany, Austria, and Canada to the crowded streets and unfamiliar landscapes of Zambia, Indonesia, Nigeria, Pakistan, and India. Angela and a school friend once had lunch with Pablo Picasso, and Ann recalls spilling red nail polish on a white dress because a monkey jumped at her.

The narrative clearly shows that the girls were raised by determined and dedicated parents. The authors absorbed a strong moral code, pursued higher education, and both now work in fields that allow them to assist others less fortunate. They have helpfully arrayed their memoir with the aid of cartoon “portraits” to denote which of them is recounting an episode. Their book also contains letters from their father, corroborative documents, and photographs of the people they met and the atmospheres they imbibed in their thirty-five years of continual, exhilarating travel and transition. Their recollections may enhearten readers to step outside ordinary bounds and boldly go forth to embrace diverse cultures and new horizons.

RECOMMENDED by the US Review

Start Over As Your Real Self: And Balance Everything to be Happy

by David F. Marks, PhD

book review by Carol Anderson, D.Min., ACSW

“The purpose of life is to live a life of purpose.”

Marks’ book focuses on mental health and healthy life practices. The fifty-four short chapters include topics related to fostering creativity, coping with emotions, balancing life, the mind-body connection, self-acceptance, forgiveness, and self-care. Some of the ideas for healing include journaling, art and music, mindfulness, visualization, humor and laughter, participating in hobbies, being in solitude, meditation, being in nature, taming the inner critic, and deep breathing. The teaching utilizes a “Balance Theory” regarding human behavior and how to change this behavior, along with an examination of scientific findings containing an exploration of the “social nature” of humans. The work is a self-reflective guide with exercises to complete in each chapter, which adds to the focus of not just reading the book but being immersed in it.

With a focus on psychological well-being, the author’s book is presented with significant information on the topic and is written in a nicely organized format, which makes it easy to read and follow. There are visual diagrams which, along with the exercises, add another dimension to the work. It is professionally written, although there are some quotations and facts that are not cited. The author’s background is as a teacher and researcher, and his other professional writings help expand upon the work. Overall, this is a good foray into how to grow through the basics of balancing one’s life, techniques to achieve such a balance, and how to enjoy reading and working through the numerous exercises towards a healthier self, the real self. It will be especially valuable for those new on the path to self-discovery.

RECOMMENDED by the US Review

We Used to Dance: Loving Judy, My Disabled Twin

by Debbie Chein Morris
She Writes Press

book review by Barbara Bamberger Scott

“What I really wish is to have a memory of how we danced… hand in hand, and feet to feet.”

Morris shares a poignant, sometimes painful memoir of the time spent with her twin sister, Judy. Born first, Judy was soon recognized to have cerebral palsy, probably a result of damage to her brain before she emerged from their mother’s womb. Yet the author’s early childhood memories indicate that the two shared a remarkably communicative relationship. Though incontinent and burdened with cognitive impairments, her twin was able to enjoy the special attention of those who loved her. A special memory for Morris was of dancing with her sister to the merriment of other family members.

Judy received the home-based therapies and special equipment available at the time, providing needed assistance to their mother, who had three other children to watch after. Inevitably, as Morris’ journal entries vividly attest, such measures were insufficient. Judy became increasingly vulnerable, creating distress and alarm among those who loved her. She would gradually move from home care to full-time, facility-based supervision that neither her aging mother nor her concerned siblings could have offered. Still, Morris and others held out hopes, visiting as often as possible to sustain genuine family cohesion.

Morris, who chose the field of early childhood education for her career path, here shows her skills as an introspective observer, sensitively communicating her feelings to her readership. Especially emotive are her journal entries encompassing her visits with Judy and consultations with family during crucial episodes that might last days at a time with the outcomes unknown but possibly grim. Along with dread and self-doubts in her private contemplations, Morris strove to find positive aspects for each situation. Readers with family challenges will recognize and empathize with Morris’ frank, tender outpourings and will value her work as freely offered for comfort and deeper comprehension.

Prayerful Warrior Mom: Embracing Faith Through the Storms of Your Child’s Congenital Heart Journey

by Tracy A. Ripley

book review by Mihir Shah

“You are their advocate, and never, ever, be afraid to speak up for your child or yourself.”

Using her faith as fuel, the author lays bare her soul in this raw and incredibly vulnerable chronicle of hope and fear. Rooted in scripture, the work and the themes presented within it are universal, depicting the human struggle to balance all aspects of their lives without losing themselves. For Ripley, a blessing in the form of baby Bryce is rife with obstacles, such as her child’s congenital heart disease (CHD), spearheaded by a faulty heart valve. The author’s unyielding tenacity, come what may, to ensure that Bryce is able to lead a quality life is something to truly marvel at.

Ripley’s blended family consists of her husband, Rob, two step-kids she adores, and her biological daughter, Reyna. The seamless environment allows the author to maintain a work-life balance and challenge herself at the apex of both motherhood and career. However, when Bryce is diagnosed with severe aortic stenosis a mere fourteen hours after birth and must be taken away for an emergency procedure, the reality of how grueling the process will be dawns on her. From her own testimony and resilience, audiences will discover their own inner spirit and mettle, a roadmap of sorts when battling similar adverse circumstances.

Though the main focus of Ripley’s work is to share Bryce’s journey to health, it also provides great detail and context into her overall life, pulling back the curtain, so to speak, for audiences to get a comprehensive snapshot. For instance, Ripley takes readers back to her own upbringing and how her parents were to add an extra layer of understanding of how she came to be who she is. In these segments of the piece, readers can easily relate to the hurdles women face in their careers, often feeling conflicted about the perception of their dedication and commitment to the company once they are mothers. For Ripley, commitment is central to her character, as even in the moments leading up to going into labor, she is training her backup to deliver a presentation for her job.

While the problems of the material world are undoubtedly well captured, it is the authenticity with which Ripley communicates her relationship with God that readers will find endearing. Rather than preach through scriptures, she shows how those scriptures have come to life for her, giving her a platform through which she can process and even see the silver lining in traumatic events, such as seeing her baby in the NICU just after birth, feeling disconnected from her child, or watching her now toddler continue to endure one heart surgery after another. Nonetheless, through it all, her trust in God remains unconditional, never wavering, and always enabling her to stay steadfast in prayer.

From a stylistic perspective, the story flows smoothly, creating an enjoyable reader experience while still delving into critical themes like work-life balance, ensuring the right medical fit when entrusting practitioners with your life or the life of a loved one, and the role of mothers in the workforce as compared to fathers. Above all else, audiences get to see how prayer directly impacts and enhances one’s quality of life and provides the tools for individuals to find love in all areas, such as in the Lord, in themselves, and in all those that make up their inner circle. To this end, Ripley’s work combines the resources of prayer—with her “7 Day Prayer Guide”—and CHD resources so families going through the same thing can have the tools to tackle life’s challenges head-on and become prayerful warriors themselves.

RECOMMENDED by the US Review

They Are Not Alone: Mythology or History

by Leo Cauzillo
Amazon KDP

book review by Kate Robinson

“The theory, which I called No Zero (NZ) was a new method of counting to infinity, and it was literally revolutionary.”

In this newly revised edition (published 11/15/23), Cauzillo, a scholar of astronomy and physics and a carpenter by trade, largely succeeds in the mammoth task of fusing mathematics, mythology, astronomy, history, and spirituality into a credible, complex, and highly creative tale. The story, a nod to Heinlein and Vonnegut—two rather unruly and humorous scribblers of contemporary sci-fi—should delight readers with a taste for challenging narratives with references to mythological and religious figures, references to the folklore of diverse cultures, and engaging but realistic characterizations. Some dialogue in the tale is a bit stiff at times, but the story still has potential as a cult classic and would make a fascinating feature film or TV series.

Sirian mathematician A’Pal Chi revives a breakthrough mathematical theory known as NZ, which is a method of counting to infinity originally discovered by the ancient Magi. The theory enables lightspeed travel, allowing Chi’s team to construct a vast craft, humorously named Hopie, to carry nearly two thousand occupants—all specialists in various liberal arts, scientific, and spiritual disciplines—on an eight-year-long journey through the stars. Dr. Chi and his crew depart from their doomed planet to search for new worlds and an opportunity to unite with a galactic brotherhood. “The long-range scans were tasked with finding an atmosphere like ours on a planet like ours orbiting a star like ours.” A destination planet, S3, is found. It “orbits Alpha Aquilae, and had homelike attributes, with similar geology and geography, saltwater seas, frozen water poles, freshwater lakes and rivers, and trees.” But the expedition discovers that this planet is actually ancient Earth, complete with her indigenous cultures who live there. Three hundred volunteer members of Dr. Chi’s team are nearby on S4 (Mars) and establish a base there. Therefore, Martian history, archeology, and culture are also examined.

A program begins that re-examines legendary Earth history and spirituality of the cultures the Sirians encounter, including real-time encounters with the gods of ancient history. The tale also makes the case that the stories of gods in many cultures may, in reality, be the encounters between ancient indigenous cultures and advanced space-traveling civilizations. A’Pal Chi’s expedition illustrates this as Chi travels the Earth and becomes venerated in local legend as a god.

Humanity’s historical and mythological past melds with the scientifically and technologically advanced future in a space setting populated with gods and extraterrestrials in this cerebral but humorous epic journey. The world of A’Pal Chi is a complex, immersive experience with a head-spinning plethora of names and references sprinkled throughout the chapters. The character, setting, event, and objects lists in the back matter assist readers to stay oriented. The unique tale also features widely familiar scientific and mathematical concepts, and readers will encounter many familiar references to ancient Trojan, Grecian, Egyptian, Norse, East Indian, Native American, and other mythologies. The characterizations of A’Pal Chi, his family, and his contemporaries are lively and carry the story well, even when some references to ancient cultures may feel obscure or oblique. Entertaining and thought-provoking, this story will make a lasting impression on all who read it.

RECOMMENDED by the US Review

Scripture Letters in the Public Square

by Dan Arthur Pryor and Ann Lenora Pryor
Dorrance Publishing Company

book review by Barbara Bamberger Scott

“The daily/public newspapers are a good way to reach the secular world concerning Biblical matters.”

Writing partners Dan and Ann Pryor cast light on a wide vista of religious issues that are being raised in America, especially controversial subject matter, and display an objective and well-researched exploration for readers who wish to be considered devout members of the Christian faith. The book comprises thought-provoking letters and handouts created mainly by Dan and at times changed and corrected by his spouse and sent to newspaper editors from northeastern cities and a few western venues between January 2017 and the COVID-19 and re-election period of 2020.

It is readily apparent from the first conglomeration of topics, “Abortion,” that the authors’ intentions focus on adherence to strongly held Catholic views since the Catholics, they assert, were the first to receive Jesus’ message in his actual lifetime. They offer strong opinions of some other religious sects—notably the Jehovah’s Witnesses—that appear to Pryor to have made their distinctive interpretations of the Holy Bible based on what the authors view as a skewed viewpoint that does not recognize, for example, the Holy Trinity. And though Donald Trump, who ran for reelection in the highly disputed political battleground of 2020, is not a Catholic, and Joe Biden is a member of the Catholic faith, the Pryors throughout this collection press for Trump’s return to national leadership. They extol the groups such as Catholics and Christian Evangelicals who voted for him previously and cite policies and actions credited to Trump in support of Catholic groups. In many cases, their letters to various news outlets express their strong conviction that Trump will emerge victorious again. Topics arrayed in the lively narrative’s letters include religious freedom, contra-conception, popes, bishops, priests, homosexuality, a clear conscience, suicide, Bible Interpretation, and martyrs. Upon each of these subjects, the authors have stamped their convictions of religious and socio-political conservatism.

Dan Pryor, the book’s principal composer, is a self-described “public orator” who is clearly attached to the facts and opinions he focuses on here. Each of the letters presented by him, with assistance and some noted corrections by his wife, is helpfully arranged by general topic and concludes with the name of the news source and the date of its publication. Included as well is a listing of those news outlets, such as the Philadelphia Inquirer, Arizona Republic, and New Jersey Herald. A few articles at the book’s conclusion are designated as “not printed” or were public handouts, such as one “Opposing Jehovah Witness.” Attention is also given in another such handout to translations of the Bible from the Greek language, about which Pryor has clearly done specific research regarding the word “God” from original ancient sources. His work is well organized, and his writing is thorough and to the point in every case, styled to conform to general newspaper requirements. It also demonstrates his fair-minded approach, as he also can be critical of some Catholic leaders whose expressed opinions are far, he believes, from true church doctrine. The Pryors’ collaborative work can make for lively discussion of the kind the author enjoys and encourages among those of like mind as well as those of differing opinions.

RECOMMENDED by the US Review

The Making, Rising and the Future of the SpeakingMan

by Dan M. Mrejeru
Creative Book Writers

book review by Mihir Shah

“It was this metamorphose of the virtual static into virtual dynamic that created the modern brain”

What makes us, us? From a scientific perspective, Mrejeru brings together a comprehensive and full-scale anthropological examination of mankind’s evolution. Through a compilation of his many articles on the topic, the author probes deeper into how a combination of nature and nurture, from brain changes to the advent of fire and climate cooling, contributed to shaping humanity in its various phases.

The scope of Mrejeru’s work is downright incredible; it has documented catalysts dating as far back as seven million years to social and economic commentary on COVID-19, especially in the colossal adverse impacts it had in the Indian subcontinent. Cutting right to the core, the author emphasizes two anatomical shifts in the brain that led to the rise first of hominin and then the more familiar homo sapiens. From the cosmic view, a mere two million years ago, humanity and chimps exhibited the same brain organization, more or less.

While the work is structured as a series of articles, a clear breakdown of abstract, discussion, and conclusion, integrated with timely boldface to emphasize key elements, creates a simple reading experience for all audiences. Whether the articles dive into insightful commentary on slavery and war or take the reader through a scintillating psychological and neurological understanding of the birth of bipedalism, they ensure driving home the point without the density of history and science textbooks. Delving further, Mrejeru employs a biopsychosocial perspective, explaining what could further the propensity for mental health disorders like schizophrenia. Simultaneously, he weaves in historical context and neurogenesis while asking overlooked questions like “Why did prehistoric people migrate out of Africa?”

Wisdom exists in nearly every sentence of this work; however, the author’s unassuming nature and dedication to his aims of the piece are routinely on display when he brings in accomplished references and scholars to give audiences a more comprehensive and cultivated analysis. For instance, in the study of neurogenesis, he brings on the Katsimpardi Group and their research in aged mice. As the author traverses the timeline from human origin to the present, he discusses everything from changes in the oculomotor system and entropy to Gibbs’s Free Energy principle and the evolution of consciousness. Truly, Mrejeru leaves no stone unturned in his quest to chart the dynamic nature of the human brain from its origin. In particular, the section on quantum mind theories delivers an Inception-like intrigue to its multilayered propositions.

Cave art like that found at Lascaux is a demarcation of the mind during its symbolic thinking phase. In separate regions of the world, the author references the Biombo Cave art in South Africa while also highlighting the Borneo Cave paintings in Indonesia. Herein, the changes are primarily attributed to the necessity for survival based on environmental conditions that would have been present. By surveying the most microscopic aspects of the brain, Mrejeru can identify distinguishing brain characteristics between ethnic groups, such as the thicker and larger cortex in East Asian demographics. Above all else, the author seamlessly blends his penchant for teaching the science and psychology behind mankind’s evolution, while still keeping audiences engaged by connecting with relatable terms like curiosity—the bedrock of human progress—and human emotion. Mrejeru’s work is a thought-provoking discourse on what it means to be human, and how the ultimate motor, the brain, can continue to evolve into the technological age.

RECOMMENDED by the US Review